Disclaimer: Our friend the Hot Stranger owns himself. Some unknown people own the name Expensive, some unknown corporation owns the Sleep Tape (although I made up its highly creative name), and DQ owns Blizzards, sadly. If anyone wants to sell a Blizzard machine, do not hesitate to let me know.
Needless to say, since she had been sold into retail slavery, Meg's life had gone somewhat downhill. Still, she had learned a lot about life. Such as: 1) Expensive customers are demanding; 2) Expensive customers are cruel; and 3) Expensive customers don't mind watching others run around every coffee shop in England searching for a seemingly non-existent coffee bean, which led Meg to believe that 4) Some people like seeing others suffer.
Meg was actually lucky. Instead of learning all these things over a lifetime, the priceless lessons had been crammed into a 3-month period.
Okay, so she wasn't so lucky. Meg was miserable and searched every day for a way to be freed from her bondage.
One morning, her customer called to make a cancellation for the basic 24-hour appointment. Meg seized hold of this opportunity like it was a peanut-butter-cup Blizzard, and quickly hid in the staff room. Since it was during Expensive's open hours, no one else was in the room. Meg grabbed an old receipt paper from the dilapidated plastic table and began to write a letter to her mother.
Dear Mom, I am doing well in England. I have a job and have learned many lifelong lessons. But I was wondering, is there really such a thing as an Hserfretniw coffee bean?? I'm getting a good deal of exercise; yesterday I ran 14 miles to pick up my customer's pizza before it got cold. I've earned money for college...well, only $14.95 after taxes and employee fees, but....,"
Meg broke into sobs. She couldn't finish this letter now, not without staining it with tears, which would worry her mother, who could recognize tear-stained letters and who had barely consented to let Meg leave home in the first place (remind you of anyone?). Meg left the staff room, hiding from the other Expensive employees behind some Coach purses. She would never make it out of the store; the doorway saleswoman was busy spraying evil perfumes on entering customers, as usual.
Meg instead snuck over to the dressing rooms. These were always empty; customers refused to utilize them because they were "pre-used". Shoppers liked the 2nd floor sanitized-after-each-use stalls much better.
Meg slowly opened the door of the stall that was furthest from the cash register and crept inside. For further safety, she crept into stall's corner alcove and covered herself with the coat of her uniform. Once in, among discarded chrome hangers, she let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. No one would think to look for her here --- not that they would notice her absence, anyway. Her next customer wasn't due until 6:30 AM the next day. Until then, Meg, for the first time in the last 3 months, was FREE.
She practiced this newfound freedom by whipping out her headphones and Walkman. Pressing "play", she began to listen to her Sleep Tape, a "recording designed to give you the equivalent of a ....deep....sleep....in a short period of time" (excerpt from my very own sleep tape). As Meg visualized herself going down the Escalator to Relaxation, she felt sleepier...and sleepier...and sleepier...
Suddenly, Meg woke to footsteps coming into the pristine and formerly undisturbed dressing room hallway. She could do nothing but freeze in horror as the door to the stall she was in opened.
Of course, the gorgeous guy who walked in and set down his bags and coat was none other than the stranger Meg had met on the street 3 months ago. She immediately recognized his profile, which had been haunting her dreams ever since they met. But she still couldn't see his face clearly, as her coat was covering her eyes.
The mystery dude began taking off his shirt to try on the sweater he was carrying.
Now Meg was faced with a moral dilemma. She could let him know she was in there, so he wouldn't be embarrassed.
Or she could be bad and spy on him.
Meg was just opting for the second option when he accidentally dropped a hanger on her and she let out an exclamation of pain.
"OUCH!"
He stared in shock at the alcove. Had that pile of dressy pantsuits just spoken? Then the pile moved.
"AAAAaaackplth..." He stifled his yell of horror as a girl poked her head out of the pile. She was babbling incoherently.
"ImsosorryIwasleepingandthenImsosorryImsorrysosorry...." Meg frantically tried to regain her composure as she stared at the ground, away from his shirtless chest. If she had looked up, she would have seen that he had recognized her and was desperately trying not to laugh.
Just then, the Expensive store manager ran into the hallway.
"WHAT is going ON?" Hearing only stifled laughter and babbled apologies, the manager opened the door. When she saw the stranger, she immediately became all sweetness and light. But then she turned to Meg.
Meg gulped in terror as she looked up into the angry, angry face of her employer.
"Oh sir, we are so terribly sorry for this intrusion. I assure you, she will be severely punished..."
The stranger, whom Meg was still too scared to look at, interrupted.
"Oh, no, it's no problem at all." Meg again recognized his Canterbury accent as he continued, "She's my...um...cousin. I've been looking everywhere for her. It is necessary that I talk to her. So...yes, we'll be leaving now."
"Yes, sir, whatever you like, sir, of course." The surprised and confused manager stepped back as the guy took leaned down and took Meg's hand (which automatically complied) and began to walk briskly out of the store.
Dazed, Meg looked around at the Expensive people who were all staring at her with strange looks on their faces.
They pushed through the platinum doors and were outside -how good it felt to smell fresh air again!- and then the stranger began to run. Meg, still holding his hand, ran alongside him, still not looking at his face because the narrator wants to drag out the suspense as long as possible.
It was on Main Street that Meg realized he still wasn't wearing a shirt.
Finally, they reached a beautiful and empty little park. The guy took Meg to a secluded pond hidden from the public by a grove of pine trees.
He sat down on the vibrant green grass, and Meg, still dazed and confused, sat across from him.
She was finally facing him straight on, and she looked directly into his eyes as she received the biggest shock of her life.
Her guardian and savior was Orlando Bloom.
A/n: WOW what a long and action-packed chapter! Next up: Lord of the Rings-ishness and romantic foolishness begin!!!!! Don't worry, the fic will not turn into an homage to Orlando b/c that's not my thing. I know this story is v. weird, but please r/r!! Thank you PS - If u don't know who Orlando is, he plays Legolas Greenleaf (my guy) in the LotR trilogy. Just type in his name on any search engine and you're sure to find some dedicated sites.
Review Responses:
bertiebottsgeorge - Sorry for lack of romance so far; I've never written romantic stuff before but I am going to try! Probably Chapter 4 will start the love rolling out. Yes your stories rock and u need to post more!!
Madeleine - I know u won't read this anyway but yeah bush is evil I totally agree. No! ur not supposed to know who the stranger is! Well, maybe u are. :)
Yoshi - I'm glad u like it; yes u know who the person is (hopefully) and you'll find out his true identity soon!
Nosilla - Here is more for u to review!! Thanks for being such a faithful reviewer! It's v. encouraging.
MegHarts - Glad u like the narrator/character parts; I love writing those and do too many of them (as u can tell) :) I'm so happy to warm the cockles of your heart!! Glad u like my little neat-freak store (we should clean ur room again soon, u know) and the POC reference… Where's my marble statue? Remember, if u mail it, there's a good chance it will never come, so u should deliver it in person. OH and I think that any son of yours named K.Grace is in for an interesting life. Lol --- thanks for the support!
BlueTwilight24 - Hello my dear sorry to confuse u. I'm just a naturally weird person, but u knew that already :) hehehe Thanks for posting on B behind W!!!
Purely Graceful - Thanks for the extra reviews, Meghan :) Luv ya!
THANKS EVERYBODY!!!